Bobcats thump Kaws to keep postseason hopes alive

By Angelique McNaughton

October 30, 2013

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From the start of the second half, Basehor-Linwood began a powerful running game that allowed Tim Sanders and company to go to work in a 37-16 win Friday at Perry-Lecompton.

Jahron McPherson found a hole on the first possession of the third quarter, resulting in a 12-yard carry for a Bobcat first down. The Bobcats would maintain control of the ball for the next 4:49 before McPherson scored a nine-yard touchdown, giving the Bobcats the lead for good.

Before McPherson’s 12-yard run, the Bobcats (3-5, 1-1 Class 4A District 2) spent most of the first half struggling to pick up the blitz, and picked up penalties.

“Although we made some plays on offense (in the first half), we had far too many negative plays and penalties, negating big plays for us, and we gave up three quarterback sacks,“ BLHS head coach Steve Hopkins said. “The defense gave us the ball over and over again, however, so we were able to get the two scores.”

After McPherson’s touchdown, the Bobcat defense forced a quick punt and Sanders drove his squad down the field, setting up McPherson for a 39-yard run that was called back for an illegal hit.

The Bobcats later widened their lead to 29-0 and weren’t seriously threatened by the Kaws (3-5, 0-2) again for the rest of the game. Hopkins said he chose not to pass in the second half because he felt like the Bobcats “had some holes to run at and that made a big difference.”

Sanders ended up throwing for 85 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. He ran for 87 yards, second only to McPherson’s 172 yards, and two touchdowns. McPherson rushed for more than half of the Bobcats 293 yards on 22 carries.

“McPherson had a great game for us, and he was about an inch away from going all the way,” Hopkins said.

The Kaws gained 200 yards on the ground, but the Bobcat defense teed off on quarterback Mitchell Bond, forcing four fumbles and an interception.

“I really thought our defense played well in controlling the line of scrimmage,“ Hopkins said. “(Defensive lineman) Nick Chaney was our second leading tackler from his position, which is unusual as linebackers nearly always lead in tackles.

“In fact, Cory McCleary, our middle linebacker, had the most tackles largely because our defensive line did a good job at times of keeping their offensive line off of the linebackers.”

McCleary led the team with 12 total tackles and played on every special teams play, while Chaney made eight tackles, including one for a loss, while effectively shutting down the gaps.

The Bobcats will travel Thursday to Tonganoxie (7-1, 2-0) in the hopes of stopping the Chieftains defense and making a playoff appearance.

“We have to start better in picking up blitzes as Tongie plays defense really well, and when they do blitz, it can be a problem,“ Hopkins said. “They are a veteran team which makes few mistakes. We need to avoid negative plays on offense such as penalties and drive the ball effectively, much like we did in the second half last week.

“It will be a great game Thursday with much at stake, which is what you hope for when you enter district, so we hope to play well,” Hopkins said.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Beatty Field. The Bobcats can win the district outright with a win and a Jeff West loss at Perry-Lecompton. All possible district outcomes are available here.

Weather delay doesn’t slow Bobcats vs. Turner

Angelique McNaughton

October 9, 2013

The Basehor-Linwood football team turned a two-day game into a 49-13 victory against Turner on Saturday.

Tim Sanders threw two touchdown passes to Dalton Inlow in the first quarter and Jahron McPherson had a 75-yard carry for a touchdown in the second quarter before the Golden Bears even scored.

Sanders and the Bobcats (2-3, 2-3 Kaw Valley League) picked up another touchdown to take a 28-7 halftime lead Friday night before rain and lightning forced the remainder of the game to be postponed until Saturday afternoon.

“It ended up working perfectly for us,” BLHS head coach Steve Hopkins said.

After receiving the second-half kickoff, the Bobcats opened the third quarter with a six-minute drive for a touchdown.

The Bobcat defense held the Golden Bears (1-4, 1-4) before the offense took the ball down the field again, making the score 42-7 at the end of the third quarter.

“The defense played extremely well,” Hopkins said. “And we started a lot of freshmen (Friday).”

The Bobcats are playing freshmen on their special teams and moving others into different positions while seniors Jay O’Bryan, Bret Fritz and Logan Potts remain sidelined with injuries.

“Nick Chaney has been a rock in the middle of our defense and he has been really, really consistent,” Hopkins said. “Behind him, Cory McCleary has made play after play at linebacker, while with Broc Lindsay and Boston Henry, we have not asked them to play both ways, but (we’ve) got so many injuries and they give us a big lift.

“Our front seven are really starting to come along now.”

The Golden Bears second and final touchdown came with less than a minute left in the game.

“They ended up scoring on some of our younger guys, but that is something that is going to happen,” Hopkins said.

Sanders ended the two-day game with 218 yards on 13-of-21 passing with two touchdowns. McPherson had 18 carries for 160 yards, including four rushing touchdowns and four receptions for 71 yards. Inlow had four receptions for 84 yards, including his two scores. In total, the Bobcats finished with 532 yards of offense.

Basehor-Linwood will host rival Bonner Springs (4-1, 4-1) at 7 p.m. Friday.

“Seven of nine drives were touchdowns for us this weekend and we didn’t punt until the end, so that was encouraging,” Hopkins said. “We’ve got to start with great defense (against BSHS) and when we get a turnover, we need to finish the drive in the end zone and we’ll be fine.”

The Bobcats defeated the Braves last season, 35-11.

State return weighs heavy on minds of BLHS volleyball team

By Angelique McNaughton

The Basehor-Linwood volleyball team has been explosive out of the gates so far this season, and that momentum is not looking to let up in the coming weeks.

BLHS opened with a perfect 5-0 start against Baldwin, Eudora, Bonner Springs, Ottawa and St. Mary’s during the first week of play. The Bobcats then traded wins and losses during the annual Frontier League tournament to place fourth. Since then, the Bobcats have won six straight matches against Tonganoxie (3-0, Sept. 17) and Bishop-Ward (3-0, Sept. 24).

“We are definitely off to a better start than last year,” BLHS volleyball coach Amy Irvin said.

The Bobcats started last season 0-5 after the Frontier League tournament, but went on to take second in the league behind Mill Valley, defeat Lansing for the first time in 20 years and compete in the Class 4A state tournament for the first time in school history. Despite losing four seniors after coming off of the season of a lifetime, the Bobcats say they are closer and stronger than ever on and off the court.

“We’re definitely a closer team and we definitely love each other,“ Irvin said of this year’s squad.

Junior Abbey Mellies and sophomores Madi Osterhaus, Jamie Weible and Courtney Robinson, the team’s setter, have joined seniors Allison Heinen and Hailey Robinson in their effort to surpass last season’s accomplishments.

Mellies and Heinen lead the Bobcats in kills so far this season, while Weible has been the leader in digs and Robinson in set assists. Back row defensive specialist Hailey Robinson said while the team had good chemistry and talent last year, she thinks the squad is stronger this season.

“We lost a lot of strong players, but we also gained a couple players,” Robinson said. “I think everything is up a couple of notches this year from last year.”

Even the losses this season, Robinson said, were games the Bobcats “could have and should have” won.

“We are capable of doing well and winning games as long as we stay competitive and don’t lose our drive,” she said. “I want to go back to the state tournament and want to place better than we did last year and be more competitive because we got there, but we didn’t’ keep going.”

Robinson’s sister and the team’s setter, Courtney, said she wasn’t pleased with the team’s performance at state either.

“We didn’t win any games and while it’s not all about winning, we just didn’t do that well,” she said.

But the cohesiveness of the team this season has given her hope.

Most of the girls have played together for many years on school and club teams, especially under third-year coach Irvin, and that familiarity will be an important component in the team’s success, Robinson said.

“If you’re close off the court, you’re going to be able to talk better with your teammates on the court and get along better,” she said.

Sophomore setter Nicole Rutherford said that the “familial bond” is one of the biggest assets that teams need.

“If you’re not close, then you can’t start anything because talent can only go so far,” Rutherford said. “We have our friendships down and are starting to play together. If we get all our plays together and put our talents together, we could be really good.”

With less than a month left in the regular season, Irvin said her team is willing and able to do what it takes to have another successful postseason.

“We realize that we are all here for the same reason and we all carry our roles pretty seriously,” Irvin said. “Everyone knows what role they have.”

Irvin sang praise for her “amazing” hitters and sophomore libero Jaime Weible, who can “do almost anything.”

While Irvin said she knows BLHS will finish in the top three in the Kaw Valley League, it’s just a matter of which place the Bobcats will earn.

“We are definitely capable of winning league, without a doubt, and winning state is definitely a goal,” she said. “They have to believe in themselves as much as I believe in them. My big thing I tell the girls is that they have nothing to lose, so go out, do your job and play with no regrets for 25 points. Volleyball is a game of momentum and if they play their game, communicate and are driven to do what they need to do, they are capable of anything.”

BLHS girls weathered by five-game losing streak

By Angelique McNaughton

January 29, 2013, 2:00 p.m.

Updated: January 30, 2013, 2:17 p.m.

Topeka — The Basehor-Linwood girls basketball team had a quick turnaround after falling, 45-38, to De Soto on Friday in overtime and lost a similar result on Saturday at Hayden, 51-27.

“We went into overtime the night before and with two back to back road games, while it’s not an excuse, I was pleased the way they responded,” BLHS coach Jason Tatkenhorst said.

Six players had four points apiece for the Bobcats on Saturday: Samantha Rutherford, Marriah Clayton, Kara Stephens, Jamie Johnson, Courtney Payne and Victoria Smith.

“It just came down to they put the ball in the hoop better than we did,” Tatkenhorst said.

From the field, the Bobcats went just 7 of 27 while the Wildcats went 20 of 33. The Wildcats took the lead in the first quarter, 14-7, and the Bobcats were never able to catch up.

Johnson received her third foul with 2:11 left in the first half, forcing Tatkenhorst to bench her. He was visibly frustrated with some of the officiating that put his players into foul trouble.

“We want to play aggressive but one negative of that is sometimes we’ll get into foul trouble,” Tatkenhorst said.

At the end of the third quarter, the Bobcats were down 39-20 and only scored seven points the rest of the game, including a three pointer from Johnson.

“I’ll tell you why we lost, we need to have girls score more points than that,” Tatkenhorst said. “We need to have girls getting double digits and that didn’t happen.”

Johnson only took four shots against Hayden, compared with the 15 she shot against De Soto. Tatkenhorst said he needs to get her to take more shots.

Stephens attributed the loss to a lack of cohesiveness and team unity.

“I think we need to come together as a team,” Stephens said. “We made a lot of simple, fundamental mistakes and had a loss of confidence and a loss of feeling as a team.”

Bobcats boys basketball team seeks return to full strength, victory against Bishop Ward

By Angelique McNaughton

January 29, 2013, 1:56 p.m.

Updated: January 30, 2013, 2:09 p.m

Topeka — The Basehor-Linwood High School boys basketball team traded leads with Hayden most of the game but was unable to walk away with a win on Saturday, falling 53-46 in the final minutes of the game.

The Bobcats were down one with 1:44 left when a hard fourth foul from Senior Ben Johnson put the Wildcats at the free throw line, bringing the score to 47-44.

Freshman Jahron McPherson put up a short jumper that missed but drew a foul.

McPherson made both free throws, putting the Bobcats back within one point with 1:03 left in the game.

“We took a three-point lead in the fourth quarter and I could have done things differently as a coach,” BLHS coach Mike McBride said. “I didn’t do a good job coaching in the last three minutes.”

A series of subsequent fouls that included junior Chase Younger fouling out with 12.9 seconds and junior Tim Sanders fouling out with less than 10 seconds left in the game put the Wildcats at the free throw line and the lead out of reach for the Bobcats. Johnson led the team with 12 points and junior Chase Younger had nine points, while junior Tim Sanders scored eight during a game that included seven lead changes and five ties. Junior Sean Potter also put up five points in his first varsity game for the Bobcats.

“That was a big, bright spot that it was his (Potter’s) first game and he was able to score five,” McBride said. “Looks like he can make us eight deep going into sub-state.“

Senior Matt Ogilvie got injured within the first 30 seconds of the game and never returned. Junior Zach McNabb also remained sidelined.

“We were down two guys (on Saturday night) and that’s been the story of the season,” McBride said. “It’s been injury filled and there’s been other issues off-court but we played hard to win.”

The Bobcats were coming off of a 56-51 loss on Friday at De Soto.

“Friday night we didn’t play very hard and very well,” McBride said. “We came in like we thought we could beat De Soto because Tonganoxie beat them. We didn’t think they were very good and I felt like we didn’t play very hard, though I am not taking anything away from De Soto because they are a good team.”

Johnson said the Bobcats were physically tired on Saturday night and had to fight through the game.

“Overall, I think we got a lot better, we just have to work,” Johnson said.

“We’re getting better and we’re getting there. Sub-state and state is all that matters.”

Younger said he felt like the Bobcats were coming together as a team and rotating the ball more but added there is always room for improvement.

“That’s what it is about,” he said. “We are just trying to get better, offensively especially.”

Saturday’s loss brings the Bobcat’s record to 6-6 for the season, a record they’d improve to 7-6 on Tuesday (5-2 in the KVL), though McBride said the record is getting thrown out the window.

“The next four weeks we are preparing for sub-state and we’ll see what happens,” he said.

McNabb returned against Bishop Ward on Tuesday, strengthening the Bobcat’s roster.

“I think the big thing we need to stress is staying positive and the kids haven’t lost hope,” he said. “We played Ottawa with six guys and lost by five. If we get all seven or eight players, who knows what we can be.”

Basehor-Linwood girls fall in BLHS Invitational third-place game

By Angelique McNaughton

January 23, 2013

While she’s vocal on the court, senior Jamie Johnson didn’t have much to say off it once she emerged from the locker room after the Basehor-Linwood girls basketball team failed to place in the top three at the Bobcat Invitational on Saturday.

The Bobcats suffered the tough loss in front of the home crowd, falling 50-29 to St. Joe Benton.

“We did really well … it just wasn’t all there and our shots weren’t falling,” Johnson said. “The team was good. They were really good.”

And she left it at that.

Johnson, who earned all-tournament team honors, put in plenty of minutes against the Cardinals but fell short offensively after aggravating an elbow injury she suffered last season.

“I just got done talking to her and told her she is going to get that elbow healthier and going to be scoring in the double digits,” BLHS coach Jason Tatkenhorst said. “Under the circumstances, though, she played well.”

Junior Alex Gorman led the Bobcats with seven points. Sophomore Madison McDowell added six points, all from behind the arc, and both Johnson and junior Victoria Smith contributed five points apiece. Smith also had two blocks and senior Kara Stephens had five steals. The Bobcats had an answer for almost every Cardinal bucket in the first half, trading the lead several times, but St. Joe Benton rarely missed a shot and outrebounded the Bobcats, 33-23.

Tied at the end of the first quarter, McDowell came up big and sunk back-to-back three pointers to give the Bobcats the lead with 5:03 left in the first half. BLHS stepped up once more with 1:50 left in the second quarter to take the lead, 15-13. It would be the last time the Cardinals would trail for the rest of the game. St. Joe Benton opened the second half with a three-pointer to make it 21-13 and the Bobcats never quite recovered, scoring only four points in the third quarter and 16 the rest of the game.

The Bobcats (5-6, 3-3 in the Kaw Valley League) opened the tournament with a 43-29 win against Ottawa High School Tuesday, then lost to top-seeded Holton, 51-24, on Thursday.

“I told the girls we are supposed to be mad in the locker room because we lost the game on the scoreboard,” Tatkenhorst said. “But overall, though, we saw improvement.”

In his first year as head coach, Tatkenhorst said it’s been a roller coaster of a season but the ride is getting better — especially considering that the Bobcats committed fewer turnovers than the Cardinals (18-19) in defeat.

With the season hitting the halfway point, Tatkenhorst said progression is what he wants to see right now, as the competition only gets harder. A pair of road trips at De Soto on Friday and Hayden on Saturday will hopefully give his team some motivation this week in practice, he said.

“If we continue getting better, making those shots and making those free throws, the games will get a lot easier and we will get more wins,” he said.

First-year BLHS wrestling coach has been here before

Tyler Cordts won’t ask Basehor-Linwood wrestlers to do anything he hasn’t done before himself.

Cordts wrestled on the varsity squad at Santa Fe Trail High School for four years at 103 pounds. He competed at BLHS during the Bobcat classic and walked the very halls his athletes traverse daily, less than 10 years ago.

He understands the sport and the toll it can take on an athlete to endure the grueling practices, weight requirements and one-on-one competition.

“I’ve been in their shoes, been through everything they have and know what it feels like to go through those workouts,” Corts said.

Cordts was hired last spring and began practices earlier this month. With the expectations of a new coach and Cordts’ debut season approaching, he admitted to being nervous in advance.

But as soon as Cordts stepped onto the mat, he eased into his new role. Comfortable with the students he had seen in the hallways and had in classes, Cordts began coaching wrestling again.

“I have all these ideas and the time flies in practice,” he said. “Next thing I know it’s 5.”

On the mat since around the age of 11, Cordts was the lone member of his family to take up wrestling.

“It was just kind of the thing to do,” he said one day with the shrug of his shoulders. “Everybody did it and no one in my family had done it before.”

After graduating high school in 2005, Cordts pursued wrestling for a year at Central College in Pella, Iowa.

Competing in the lowest collegiate weight, 111 pounds, Cordts was forced to wrestle outside of his class.

“I wasn’t naturally very big and that’s why I transitioned,” he said of the move from athlete to coach.

Coaching wasn’t something he had seriously considered but he admired his high school and college coaches. He started his coaching career at Central College before taking on a position as an assistant at Pella High School.

Cordts, 25, who is also the special education teacher, returned to his alma mater last year as the head junior high coach at Santa Fe Trail High School, while teaching at West Franklin High School.

After three-year coach Ed Seaton decided to step down last season, Cordts stepped in.

“I’ve got a son in college and wanted to follow his wrestling a little bit,” Seaton said of the choice to become an assistant. “I just felt like they needed to get a coach and teacher in the school that could motivate them and spend the time. I was working a full-time job and just didn‘t have the time.”

“I just felt like someone else could do a better job,” he added.

And so far, Seaton said Cordts has risen to the task. He’s motivated and organized, Seaton said, and strict.

“He doesn’t take anything from the kids and I think they respect that,” he said with a laugh.

Seaton is staying on staff, joining fellow assistant coach Travis Phippen, for the upcoming season.

“I have two head coaches as my assistants and I am taking over a program with standout wrestlers,” Cordts said. “I couldn’t ask for a better way to start.”

The 27-man roster is heavy with juniors, with just three seniors leading the helm and an evenly distributed group of underclassmen.

The loss of senior state qualifier Antonio Ferro is balanced by returning state qualifiers 126-pound senior Sammy Seaton and 145-pound junior Cory McCleary.

Cordts said he also expects junior John Hopper to have a strong showing this year at 152 pounds.

“Those three boys are our three great leaders,” he said. “One thing I feel is that we have a lot of great leadership and a lot of returning experience.”

The Bobcats open the season at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Bonner Springs against the Braves and Piper. A quick turnaround will then pit the varsity in a dual the next day, on Nov. 30, at Spring Hill. The highly anticipated Bobcat Classic returns on Jan. 11.

With practice officially underway, Cordts said the athletes are enthusiastically approaching practice and are ready to work.

“I’m really surprised they’re coming in working hard,” he said. “And having fun with it and getting the job done.”

Some of the exuberance could be attributed to the wrestlers abandoning their former,  small, green-mat filled room in the high school for a donated, year-round practice facility in the district’s sixth-grade center.

“They’re excited about it,” Cordts said.

Stressing sound, solid technique and a knowledge of the basics has proven effective in the past for Cordts as both an athlete and coach.

“Basics are what works,” he said. “Just being in better shape than your opponent is a huge advantage, especially later in the match.”

Taking over an existing program hasn’t entirely intimidated Cordts, who just wants to continue building the sport at BLHS and within the wrestler-friendly community as the season progresses.

“I’m just trying to get the community excited about us because I’m excited to finally get everything going,” he said.